David Helman
Dallas Cowboys Insider
If we’re looking for signs of the benefit of spring football, the Dallas Cowboys are pointing us the way.
The Birmingham Stallions’ UFL championship isn’t yet a week old, and the Cowboys are already blitzing the spring league for its top available talent.
On Tuesday, they signed All-UFL linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. as well as cornerback Gareon Conley. Reports on Wednesday indicated they’re also working out defensive end Jonathan Garvin, who managed 3.5 sacks for the Stallions this spring.
This tracks for multiple reasons.
For starters, the Cowboys have had recent success signing spring standouts. Over the past two years, they plucked KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey out of what was then still called the USFL. Turpin has been Dallas’ primary return man for two years, reaching the 2022 Pro Bowl in the process. Aubrey was named an All-Pro as a rookie in 2023 after connecting on 36-of-38 field goals and famously making 35 in a row.
Of course, the Cowboys’ love for a low-risk, high-reward gamble extends beyond the spring leagues. From the signing of linebacker Rolando McClain way back in 2014, to the mid-season addition of receiver Martavis Bryant last year, this team is not afraid to buy low on a player with proven pedigree.
Conley stands out in this regard. The former Ohio State star had the talent to be drafted No. 24 overall by the Raiders in 2017, and he put together a strong sophomore season with three interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 2018.
Injuries derailed his career by 2020, however, as Conley didn’t play high-level football again until this spring, when he tallied 25 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups with the UFL’s D.C. Defenders.
Worst-case scenario, Conley is a summer addition to the training camp roster who won’t cost the Cowboys if he is let go. Best-case scenario, he taps into the talent that made him a first-round pick and bolsters an already strong…
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Publish date : 2024-06-20 18:58:10
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